UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 
COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  """'    '°'  *"""-"■  '"'"•"- 

THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT,    DCAN  AND   DiRCCTOIt 

BERKELEY  h.  c.  van  norman,  vice-oircctor  «nd  oc*n 

University  Farm  School 


The  Farm  Labor  Situation  in  California 

-  JULY  14,  1917 

By  E.  L.  ADAMS 

State  Farm  Labor  Agent  in  California 

for 

University  Of  California, 

State  Council  of  Defense, 

U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture 


SHORTAGE  OF  FARM    LABOR 

Persistent  reports  and  requests  for  farm  help  reaching  this  office 
indicate  a  farm  labor  shortage  especially  of  milkers,  teamsters,  riders, 
and  others  needed  for  handling  and  working  stock.  Irrigators  are 
rather  difficult  to  secure,  and  the  number  is  limited  of  laborers  for 
hand  work  on  asparagus,  sugar  beets,  cotton,  and  similar  crops  requir- 
ing work  of  a  hard,  back-breaking  kind. 

Some  of  the  reasons  for  this  scarcitj^  are  'that : 

First. — Many  Austrians,  Italians,  and  Servians,  called  to  the  colors,  h&ve  gone 
out  of  the  country. 

Second. — As  a  result  of  troubles  between  Chinese  Tongs,  many  Chinese  are'-i' 
hiding. 

Third. — The  formation  of  Hindu  companies  for  active  farming  operations  for 
themselves,  especially  in  the  rice  fields,  has  reduced  the  former  available  supply. 

Fourth. — HighAvay  construction  has  taken  men — particularly  teamsters — 
directly  away  from  farm  work. 

Fifth. — The  gradual  withdrawal  of  men  formerly  fitted  for  and  trained  in 
agricultural  vocations  into  other  lines  of  work,  has  not  been  offset  by  entrance 
of  equal  numbers  into  farm  work. 

Sixth. — Activity  in  manufacturing  enterprises  has  draA\Ti  upon  much  of  the 
available  labor.  Business  concerns,  realizing  that  their  ultimate  success  rests  on 
a  steady  supply  of  unskilled  labor,  are  consistently  outbidding  the  farmer  in 
wages,  housing  facilities,  Avorking  hours  and  general  working  conditions.  The 
farmer  is  thus  thrown  into  competition  mth  all  other  business  requiring  unskilled 
labor  such  as  the  lumber  companies,  iron  works,  shipyards,  quarries,  and  railroad 
companies. 

That  the  farm  labor  need  has  doubtless  been  overestimated  in 
making  calculations  for  the  season,  maj'  be  gathered  from  a  post-card 
survey  of  all  the  farmers  in  seventeen  counties,  conducted  between 
May  20th  and  30th,  1917,  by  the  respective  county  farni„^«^9WBviaa^ 

;:i  JUL  19  1937 


ing  under  direction  of  the  State  Leader,  Professor  B.  H.  Crocheron. 
In  all  over  28,000  self -addressed,  returnable  post-cards  such  as  th? 
following  were  sent  out :  ; , 

Laboe  Survey 

(Date) I  will  need men women children 

more  than  I  now  expect  to  be  able  to  obtain.      They  will  be  needed  during  a 

period  of days,  from. (date)   to.. (date) 

to  help  in _ _ _ work. 


Answer  Yes  or  No: 


I  will  provide 

Boom   and   board 

Camping  grounds  

House  

Water 

Sanitary   conveniences   

Signature  

Address 


I  will  pay 

Per  box  

Per  ton  

Per  day  

Per   month 


The  following  figures  were  derived  from  the  returns  of  this  postal- 
card  survey : 


Summary  op  Labor 

DUCTED 


Survey  of  Seventeen  Counties  of  California,  as 
BY  THE  County  Farm  Advisers  of  California 
(Results  June  28,  1917) 


CON- 


Number     Replies    Did  not 
County 

Alameda  

Glenn    

Humboldt    

Imperial  

Kern  

Madera  

Merced  

Napa  

Nevada  

Placer  

Biverside  

Sacramento   

San  Diego  

San  Joaquin  

Solano  

Stanislaus    

Yolo    


cards 
sent 

1900 

received 
back 

21 

want 
labor 

16 

Wanted 
labor 

5 

Men 
166 

Labor 
Women 

60 

wanted 
Children 

Total 
226 

1400 

138 

122 

16 

95 

1 

7 

1( 

)3 

1985 

13 

12 

1 

1 

1 

3400 

225 

110 

115 

1437 

229 

63 

17! 

29 

1965 

40 

17 

23 

194 

11 

)4 

475 

97 

50 

47 

335 

31 

3( 

56 

1300 

29 

15 

14 

223 

2 

1 

2i 

26 

2000 

73 

51 

22 

109 

3 

12 

li 

24 

547 

92 

88 

4 

6 

3 

1 

] 

10 

600 

12 

9 

3 

4 

2 

6 

1000 

35 

25 

10 

34 

10 

14 

500 

47 

36 

11 

45 

L 

15 

2228 

32 

21 

11 

57 

8 

( 

55 

4135 

58 

34 

24 

115 

100 

2] 

L5 

1290 

86 

61 

25 

119 

34 

.... 

IJ 

)3 

2000 

557 

500 

57 

252 

12 

2 

2( 

56 

1500 

56 
1611 

39 
1206 

17 
405 

290 
3482 

71 
566 

20 
106 

381 

28225 

4154 

LABOR   SHORTAGE    NECESSITATES    USE   OF   EVERY   AVAILABLE    MAN 

To  successfully  move  all  crops  this  year,  available  sources  of  help 
must  be  sought  out  and  developed.  There  is  available  a  certain  poten- 
tial supply  of  a  kind  of  labor  in  the  high  school  boys,  patriotically 
inclined  city  dwellers,  store  clerks,  and  the  output  of  charitable  organ- 
izations.    Some  prison  labor  is  also  available. 

Out  of  the  vast  amount  and  diversity  of  work  required  to  carry 
on  California  agriculture,  this  labor  cannot  do  much  more  than  pick 
up  prunes  or  walnuts,  hoe  weeds,  handle  a  shovel,  pitchfork,  or 
manure  fork,  or  pick  berries.  Without  training  or  experience  this 
kind  of  labor  is  but  a  "drop  in  the  bucket."  Yet  to  release  capable 
men  for  other  lines  of  work  and  to  relieve  at  least  partially  the  present 
lack  in  permanent  jobs,  farmers  should  make  some  attempt  to  utilize 
as  far  as  practicable  this  raw  labor.  To  do  so  to  advantage,  however, 
means  a  degree  of  patience  in  showing  men  how  to  do  the  work,  a 
willingness  to  give  new  men  time  to  heal  blisters  and  restore  lame 
backs,  generosity  in  the  matter  of  proper  living  conditions  and  wages, 
care  to  give  first  tasks  commensurate  with  the  beginner's  strength, 
and  a  desire  to  foster  a  liking  for  and  an  enjoyment  in  the  work. 

To  determine  the  potential  supply  of  high  school  students  available 
for  work,  a  questionnaire  was  sent  out  by  a  committee,  acting  under 
Mr.  Will  C.  Wood,  appointed  by  the  State  Board  of  Education  to 
organize  a  Students'  Working  Reserve.  Replies  tabulated  from  142 
high  schools  of  the  state  (approximately  one-half  the  total  number), 
and  covering  about  one-third  the  total  high  school  enrollment,  in- 
dicated : 

IB-.'V    :-  .  Boys  Girls 

Number  of  returns 13,004  17,086 

Number  volunteering  for  some  kind  of  work  on  farms,  in 

orchards,  or  in  canneries  during  the  summer  vacation 

period   4,194  1,951 

Number  who  expect  to  be  employed  on  home  farm 2,273  1,794 

Number  who  expect  to  be  employed  in  neighborhood,  living 

at  home  3,332  2,408 

Number  who  if  properly  organized  and  supervised  would 

accept  employment   requiring  them  to  live  away  from 

home    2,158  541 

Two  hundred  sixty-nine  men  teachers  and  149  women  teachers 
volunteered  to  assist  in  supervising  groups  of  students. 

An  important  decision  which  should  result  in  increasing  the 
possibility  of  utilizing  students  is  that  of  the  Attorney  'General  of 


California,  who  has  ruled  that  schools  may  be  oflficially  closedrso  far 
as  counting  attendance  is  concerned,  but  that  after  such  official  closing 
teachers  may  be  called  upon  to  continue  teaching  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  wish  to  continue  under  such  teaching.  Furthermore,  under 
a  new  law,  boards  of  education  have  the  right  to  pay  salaries  of 
teachers  in  twelve  monthly  installments,  regardless  of  the  question  of 
whether  or  not  teachers  do  some  teaching  in  each  month  of  the  year. 


COUNCILS   OF   DEFENSE  TO  ASSIST   FARMERS   AND  FARM    HELPERS 

The  State  and  County  Councils  of  Defense,  the  University  of 
California,  and  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  all  recognize 
the  necessity  of  rendering  all  possible  assistance  in  bringing  together 
possible  labor  and  farmers  who  are  in  need  of  help.  This  work  is 
being  brought  together  in  the  office  of  the  State  Farm  Labor  Agent, 
11  Budd  Hall,  University  of  California,  Berkeley,  California. 

Since  all  efforts  along  the  lines  of  securing  labor  are  for  the  express 
purpose  of  winning  the  war,  the  greatest  concern  will  be  to  help  the 
growers  of  those  things  most  needed  directly  or  indirectly  by  the  allies, 
such  as  wheat,  barley,  beans,  cotton,  hay,  beef,  sheep,  pork,  cheese, 
butter,  poultry  products,  corn,  sorghum,  dried  fruits,  canned  and 
dried  vegetables. 

HOW   FARMERS   SHOULD   PROCEED 

Farmers  who  are  in  need  of  help  should  apply  to  their  County 
Council  of  Defense  who,  through  its  labor  representative,  will  attempt 
to  secure  the  necessary  men  locally.  If,  however,  the  demand  cannot 
be  met  in  this  way  the  county  representative  on  behalf  of  the  farmer 
will  make  application  for  assistance  to  the  State  Farm  Labor  Agent, 
11  Budd  Hall,  University  of  California,  Berkeley,  California. 

Each  farmer  should,  however,  file  his  wants  with  the  local  County 
Council  of  Defense  only  after  exhausting  every  possible  source  that 
he  can  reach,  using  every  organization  equipped  with  the  necessary 
machinery  for  bringing  farm  help  and  farmers  together,  such  as  the 
regular  employment  agencies,  the  Public  Emplojinent  Bureaus  of 
the  State  of  California  operating  offices  at  San  F'rancisco  (men),  933 
Mis.sion  Street;  San  Francisco  (women),  Pacific  Building;  Oakland, 
401  Tenth  Street;  Sacramento  (men),  124  K  Street;  Sacramento 
(women),  Forum  Building;  Los  Angeles  (men),  206  Franklin  Street; 
Los  Angeles  (women),  207  South  Broadway;  and  the  United  States 
Emplojonent  Service  with  offices  at  San  Francisco  (men),  2  Ap- 
praisers Building,  "Washington  and  Sansome  Street;  San  Francisco 


Form  No.  1 


EMPLOYER  REQUEST  FOR  FARM  LABOR 


Date  of  Application 
Name  


Address 


Phone 


Location  of  Work 


Trained  Untrained         Women  Children 


Kind   of   Help 

Number    Wanted    

Age   Limit   

Nationality  Preferred 

When  Wanted  

For  How  Long  


Wages  

Housing   Accommodations 
Bedding   Accommodations 

Water   

Fuel  


Climate 


Transportation 


Remarks 


(How) 


(Advanced) 


(Free) 


(Refunded) 


7 

Form  No.  2 
EMPLOYEE    APPLICATION    FOR    FARM    WORK 

Date 

Name  _ „ „ _. 

Address  

Nationality  „ 

Sex Age Height ..._ Weight 

Telephone  Number  


(Give  in  full) 


Agricultural  Training  (School)... 
Agricultural  Experience  (Farm). 
Kind  of  Work  Wanted 


(i.e.  haying,  fruit  picking,  berry  picking,  cotton  picking, 
beet   thinning,   irrigating,  etc.) 


Locality  Preferred :  First  choice Second  choice 

How  Far  from  Home  will  you  Pay  Fare? 

Minimum    Wage    Demand 

Maximum  Hours  will  Work  Daily 

Have  you  Camping  Equipment? 

Have  you  Blankets  ? 

Wlien  Avill  you  be  Available? 

How  Long  will  you  be  Available? _ 

Physical    Condition    „. 

Bemarks   


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  witii  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/farmlaborsituatiOOadamiala 


(women),  108  Customs  House,  Jackson  and  Battery  Streets;  Sacra- 
mento, Post  Office  Building;  Fresno,  335  Rowell  Building;  Los  An- 
geles (U.  S.  Dept.  of  Labor,  Mr.  C.  T.  Connell,  inspector  in  charge). 
Other  United  States  employment  officers  are  maintained  in  the  follow- 
ing towns :  San  Diego,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa  Barbara,  Bakersfield, 
and  Calexico. 

To  insure  sufficient  data  to  assist  in  finding  men,  when  a  farmer 
finds  it  necessary  to  approach  his  local  County  Council  of  Defense  for 
assistance,  he  should  accompany  his  request  with  the  form  No.  1  (p.  5) 
completel}'  filled  out. 


HOW  APPLICANTS  SHOULD  PROCEED 

Those  wishing  work  upon  farms  should  file  an  application  with 
the  local  County  Farm  Labor  Agent  of  the  County  Council  of  Defense, 
who,  if  he  finds  himself  unable  to  avail  himself  of  the  applicants' 
sei'vices  in  the  immediate  vicinity  will,  in  their  behalf,  report  the 
names  of  the  available  men  to  the  State  Farm  Labor  Agent,  11  Budd 
Hall,  University  of  California,  Berkeley,  California,  for  use  in  other 
localities. 

To  insure  sufficient  data  to  properly  place  any  applicant,  informa- 
tion in  full  should  be  given  as  indicated,  in  the  blank  form  No.  2 
(p.  7). 


10 


COUNTY  FARM   LABOR  AGENTS   OF  COUNTY   COUNCILS   OF  DEFENSE 

Many  County  Councils  of  Defense  have  already  appointed  a 
County  Farm  Labor  Agent.  When  no  such  representative  is  avail- 
able, farmers  or  workers  should  apply  directly  to  the  Chairman  of 
their  County  Council  of  Defense  for  help  or  work. 


EMPLOYER'S   RESPONSIBILITY 

To  insure  a  minimum  amount  of  failure,  it  seems  desirable  to 
point  out  that  obligations  rest  upon  both  parties  to  a  labor  situation, 

Hmising. — When  attempts  are  made  to  utilize  high  school  boys  or 
city  dwellers  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  people  are  accus- 
tomed to  a  decent  standard  of  living.  Proper  housing  is  a  primary 
consideration  for  best  results  and  involves  provision  for  a  due  degree 
of  privacy,  a  good  bed,  facilities  for  keeping  clean,  and  generally 
proper  sanitary  accommodations. 

Boarding. — The  usual  way  of  paying  "so  much  and  found,"  mean- 
ing as  it  does  a  cash  wage  together  with  board  and  lodging,  can  be 
replaced  to  advantage  by  substituting  the  practice  used  in  most  labor 
camps,  other  than  ranches,  where  wages  are  quoted  at  so  much  per 
day  with  deduction  for  room  and  board,  as  for  example,  $2.75  for 
ten-hour  day  with  75c  off  for  board  and  lodging.  Board  and  lodging 
is  as  much  the  worker's  due  as  cash  wages,  and  the  above  method 
offers  an  easily  measured  standard  of  values  for  perquisites.  Such 
method  further  impresses  upon  the  worker  the  necessity  of  first  meet- 
ing his  board  and  lodging  before  he  expects  to  save  on  the  work  he 
does.  Charges  for  board  and  room  should  be  based  upon  the  value 
given.  The  fanner  must  recognize  that  he  is  competing  with  city 
living  conditions  and  if  he  charges  $1.00  per  day  must  give  comparable 
and  equivalent  value.  In  general,  a  relatively  high  rate  for  board 
and  room,  justified  by  providing  full  value,  will  mean  more  to  the 
potential  supply  of  labor  under  discussion,  than  uncomfortable  sur- 
roundings at  a  low  charge.  Under  this  plan,  the  farmer  can  provide 
milk,  butter,  eggs,  and  similar  foods  demanded  by  the  men  and 
charge  them  with  the  cost.  When  many  men  are  boarded  and  con- 
ditions will  permit,  a  choice  of  foods  for  each  meal  is  desirable. 

House  facilities,  from  the  farmer's  standpoint  of  investment,  must 
of  necessity  conform  to  the  amount  of  time  they  are  in  use.  Perma- 
nent buildings  are  possible  only  when  labor  is  employed  for  long 
periods  of  time,  but  tents,  portable  cook-cars  (and  bunk-cars  when 
weather  conditions  warrant),  portable  bathing  and  sanitary  condi- 


11 

tions  can  be  arranged  for  short  term  work,  especially  if  the  equipment 
is  owned  jointly  by  farmers  engaged  in  different  lines  of  work,  or  by 
men  having  a  diversity  of  enterprises  not  centrally  located  and  calling 
for  labor  needs  at  different  periods.  Plans  of  a  standard  bunk-car 
and  a  cook-car  are  on  file  in  this  department  for  use  of  all  interested, 
while  the  State  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing,  with  offices 
at  525  Market  Street,  San  Francisco,  are  ready  to  give  substantial 
assistance  in  arranging  proper  housing  conditions. 

Wages. — In  hiring  city  men  or  high  school  boys  best  results  will 
follow  whenever  it  is  possible  to  pay  for  labor  on  a  piece-work  basis. 
Even  when  working  on  a  piece  basis  provision  should  be  made  for  a 
minimum  hourly  and  daily  return,  for  while  piece  work  is  best  for 
untrained  men,  they  are  not  exi^erienced  in  farm  work  and  cannot 
gauge  a  day's  work.  This  minimum  hourly  return  protects  them  to 
a  certain  extent.  The  farmer  on  his  part  is  protected  by  his  ability 
to  discharge  anyone  with  whom  he  is  dissatisfied. 

Piece  work  can  be  made  to  apply  to  all  kinds  of  work — ^hoeing 
beans,  picking  fruits,  harvesting  corn,  cultivating  potatoes,  digging 
potatoes,  or  pitching  hay.  Whenever  feasible  it  has  been  found  ver>' 
satisfactory  to  establish  a  standard  day's  work  and  to  pay  a  fixed 
bonus  per  piece  to  the  workers  on  the  days  that  they  reach  or  exceed 
the  standard. 

As  a  gauge  of  what  wages  must  be  paid,  recent  conditions  have 
brought  about  a  present  standard  wage  for  unskilled  labor — on  which 
the  farmer  largely  draws  for  his  surplus  needs — of  from  25c  to  30c 
per  hour,  with  the  general  average  of  27i/2e,  without  board  and  lodg- 
ing. Any  farmer  needing  help  should  expect  to  pay  this  equivalent. 
The  minimum  guaranted  rate  should  be  not  less  than  25c  per  hour, 
with  reasonable  possibility  that  under  normal  average  conditions,  a 
normal  average  workman  can  make  about  271/2C,  out  of  which  is  to 
come  board  and  lodging. 

The  use  of  labor  drawn  from  cities  and  high  schools,  is  possible 
only  on  ranches  having  much  routine  work,  and  able  to  meet  the 
housing  and  wage  conditions.  It  will  not  be  cheap  labor — and  for 
many  kinds  of  farm  work  it  will  not  be  satisfactory  labor,  but  there 
are  enough  situations  when  such  help  can  be  made  useful  and  of 
economic  value  to  warrant  its  consideration,  such  as  picking  berries, 
cutting  fruit,  hoeing,  pitching  hay,  picking  cotton,  picking  up  walnuts 
and  prunes,  and  picking  certain  kinds  of  fruit. 


12 


EMPLOYEE'S   RESPONSIBILITY 

The  high  school  boy  or  city  man  who  because  of  patriotic  or 
financial  reasons  goes  into  farm  work,  should  carry  with  him  a  sense 
of  personal  responsibility.  After  properly  investigating  an  opening 
and  assuring  himself  that  he  is  willing  to  try  the  work,  the  prospective 
employee  should  go  to  the  work  with  a  determination  to  remain.  The 
average  farmer  has  but  little  time  to  break  in  new  men,  and  cannot 
afford  to  be  constantly  changing  green  crews.  As  the  employee 
usually  pays  his  fare  to  a  given  job  he  should  first  exhaust  all  nearby 
possibilities  before  looking  beyond.  It  is  not  wise  for  a  man  to  accept 
short-term  employment  at  some  distant  place  if  his  total  earnings 
will  be  insufficient  to  pay  his  railroad  transportation  there  and  back. 
Briefly,  the  employee's  responsibility  means  that  he  must  go  out  into 
the  field  with  the  steadfast  purpose  of  doing  his  best,  to  put  in  a  full 
day,  do  his  work  in  as  satisfactory  a  manner  as  he  is  able,  and  to 
remain  with  the  work  as  long  as  he  agrees  to  at  the  beginning. 


TRIALS  WITH   POTENTIAL  HIGH   SCHOOL  AND  CITY  LABOR 

When  any  farmer  desires  to  try  out  high  school  boys  or  city  men 
to  test  their  capabilities  and  endeavor  to  utilize  their  services,  this 
department  will  attempt  to  secure  the  needed  help  when 

1.  A  proper  wage  is  assured — i.e.,  a  minimum  of  25c  per  hour,  out 

of  which  the  worker  is  to  pay  for  his  board  and  lodging. 

2.  When   proper   living   arrangements    are    available,    i.e.,    clean 

sleeping  quarters,  provided  with  good  cots,  some  degree  of 
privacy,  with  proper  bathing  and  toilet  facilities. 

3.  When  meals  are  clean,  nourishing  and  reasonably  good  in  quan- 

tity, quality,  and  variety. 

4.  When  charges  for  board  and  lodging  are  not  excessive,  i.e.,  75c 

to  $1.00  per  day  or  the  going  rate  for  proper  values. 

5.  When  the  work  to  be  done  by  high  school  boys  does  not  require 

more  than  eight  hours  actual  work. 

6.  When  continuous  work  is  available  for  a  period  of  thirty  days 

or  more. 

If  any  farmer,  wishing  to  avail  himself  of  this  labor,  has  less  than 
thirty  days'  work  in  sight,  he  should  consider  the  possibility  of  co- 
operation with  other  farmers  needing  help  in  order  to  insure  sufficient 
work  to  warrant  labor  going  to  him. 


13 

7.  When  the  work  is  not  more  than  100  miles  from  a  source  of 

labor. 

8.  "When  a  sufficient  supplj''  of  suitable  labor  is  available. 

9.  When  board  and  lodging  is  supplied  to  a  respresentative,  if  high 

school  help  is  utilized  in  groups  of  ten  or  more. 

10.  When  there  is  no  Sunday  work  except  in  well-defined  emer- 

gencies. 

Whenever  groups  of  immature  young  men  are  to  try  farm  work,  it 
is  desirable  (and  necessary  if  sent  out  by  this  department)  to  have 
a  teacher  or  other  qualified  person  accompany  them  to  oversee  their 
living  habits,  and  general  well-being.  Such  representative  should 
possess  the  confidence  of  both  boys  and  parents  and  have  ability  to 
meet  with  diplomacy  and  dispatch  all  conditions  necessitating  his 
interference.  He  should  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  work  itself, 
other  than  to  inspire  the  boys  with  a  due  sense  of  personal  responsi- 
bility, as  the  proper  conduct  of  the  work  itself  best  rests  with  the 
employer.  This  representative  should  have  privilege  of  picking  men 
and  sending  home  those  not  doing  proper  work. 

Whenever  an  organization  with  a  recognized  head  offers  its 
services,  all  details  of  business  will  be  arranged  directly  with  the 
representative,  who  in  turn  will  deal  with  the  individual  members  of 
his  group.  This  applies  particularly  to  such  organizations  as  Boy 
Scouts,  Y.  M,  C.  A.,  high  school  delegations,  or  charitable  societies. 

Whenever  unorganized  help  is  offered,  this  department  will  fur- 
nish the  necessary  information  concerning  existing  conditions  under 
which  the  work  is  to  be  done,  perfect  whatever  working  organization 
is  needed  and  make  the  best  possible  arrangements  with  the  employer. 

In  offering  its  assistance  to  the  farmers,  this  department  cannot 
guarantee  either  a  supply  of  labor  or  its  efficiency.  Neither  in 
formulating  the  above  terms  does  this  department  want  to  appear  as 
if  forcing  or  advocating  impossible  regulations.  But  present  day 
conditions  and  the  necessity  of  safeguarding  the  health  and  family 
interests  of  the  vailable  supply  warrants  as  clear-cut  a  statement  of 
the  situation  as  can  be  given  for  the  express  purpose  of  showing  how 
matters  stand  and  to  insure  as  high  a  degree  of  success  as  possible  in 
the  utilization  of  such  potential  labor  as  we  have  at  hand. 

In  addition  to  making  every  attempt  to  bring  together  available 
labor  and  farmers  in  want  of  labor,  this  department  stands  ready  to 
render  to  the  best  of  its  ability  a  report  of  existing  living  and  wage 
conditions,  or  the  kind,  number,  ages,  and  condition  of  help  offering 
services,  when  requested  by  one  or  both  sides  of  any  parties  interested 


14 


in  the  growing  and  moving  of  crops  necessary  to  the  conduct  of 
the  war. 

In  its  work  this  department  will  count  in  the  future,  as  it  has 
relied  in  the  past,  upon  the  valuable  and  active  co-operation  of  the 
Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing  to  aid  in  recommending  and 
passing  upon  proper  conditions  in  housing  and  boarding  arrange- 
ments. 


